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V
A BUSH TO DEATH.
SHOCKING DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.
Henry J Blessing:, aBlver Engineer, Make!
a Df perute Attempt to Kill Ms Wife, nil
Brother-lii-Law and End hi Own life
Probnblo Success of the "Latter Effort
Mis. lSIessinjrXot .Fatally Injured, and
tbe Result in the Caae of the Other Victim
Doubtful.
St Lotus, Mo., Sept. 11.
About eleven o'clock last night the neigh
o rhood of 1451 Cass avenue was startled
by six shots fired in rapid succession, and
a few minutes later Mrs. Ida Blessing, who
resides at that number, the family consist
ing of Henry J Blessing, his wife and hor
brother, Wm. F. Thelemann.knockedatthe
door of her landlord's house, on the ground
floor, and when it was opened she handed
his son, Henry Eicks, a revolver, saying
that her husband had shot her brother and
cut his own throat. She did not mention
any injuries inflicted upon herself Young
Eicks and Tom Foley, a young man who
had been attracted by the noise of the
shooting, hurried up-stairs. Blessing was
pacing around in the room nearest the
porch. One of the young men called
"Blessing, come out here;" but the man
made no reply and continued his march.
Tbe room was unlighted,and the two young
men were not disposed to risk an encounter
in it with him. Thoy returned to the yard
for the lantern, but when they came up
sfairs again Blessing had disappeared.
Meanwhile different policemen had been
summoned, among them Officers "Walker
and Mosser, and they, although belonging
to the Third District, outside tho scene of
the occurrence, at once instituted a seai'ch
for Blessing, and found him in the garret,
lying on his stomach, and were horrified to
gaze on a severed windpipe and a throat
cut from ear to ear, while their ears were
assailed by a gurgle that the escaping air
made. The would-be suicide still clutched
in his hand a "VVade & Butcher razor, with
which he had so viciously slashed himself
The officers took it from" him and endeav
ored to obtain ffom him somo information
as to-the deeds he had done. The man could
not speak, but was fully conscious, and a
quick shake or nod of the head indicated a
negative or an affirmative reply.
It was gleaned from him that his inten
tion was to kill liis wife, his brother-in-law
and himself. The patrol wagon was tele
phoned for and Blessing was sent to the
City Dispensary, the officers meanwhile
turning their attention to the other mem
bers of the family. Thelemann was found
lying on a pallet in the sitting-room, where
he had been placed by his sister. He pre
sented a shocking spectacle. Kis infuriated
brother-in-law had slashed him on the left
side of the neck, severing an artery. He
then inflicted a deep gash on the right side,
cut him across the Dowels, and shot him
under the left eye and in tho muscle of the
left arm, tho bullet penetrating the lung.
He suffered intensely, as was evident from
his frequent exclamations. Blessing had
used on him the razor and an American
bull-dog self-cocker, center-fire revolver.
He was also sent to the City Dispensary.
Doctors Vogt and Eaton were called in
to attend Mrs. Blessing, who was more
seriously hurt than was tit first supposed.
Hor blood-thirsty husband had used the
razor on her too, and though he inflicted
but one wound on her it was a most pninful
one. It was i-ix inches in length, extend
ing from the umbilicus to the short ribs on
the loft. side. The surgeons said, however,
that the cavity was not penetrated, and
that her chances for recovery were good.
Immediately after it had been dressed she
became hysterical and delirious, and no
statement could be obtained from hor. She
wrung her hands, wept, screamed and
asked continually for "Drew." a pet name
she gave he;- brother She did not display
much grief for her husband "Oh!" she
exclaimed, "what will they do with me if
they should die?"
When the wounded men arrived afc th9
Dispensary they presented a fearful sight.
Blessing wore nothing but his socks, draw
ers and shirt, and had a standing collar on.
He was wrapped up in a sheet. Everything
about him was covered with blood. His
throat was a most ghastly looking object,
and at each respiration the blood would
spurt forth. He was also pulseless Dr.
Ulickhahn made a brief examination of tho
men's wounds and found Thelemann sxif
fering from two pistol shots, besides the
ivounds inflicted by the razor. The Doctor
therefore decidt-d to send both of the injured
"men to the City Hospital. At that institu
tion Dr. Dean made a closer examination
and discovered that Blessing nad cut his
"throat immediately above tho larynx, sev
ering the windpipe completely, and can not
possibly recover. Thelemann's wounds
consist of a bullet wound under tho left eye,
ranging downward, but not injuring that
organ. A second shot entered the back
immediately behind the left arm, near the
shoulder, the ball having penetrated the
left lung. Another wound was on the right
ide of the abtlomen, being about six
inches in length, gnd "gaping" nearly
two inches, but the abdominal wall was
not entered. A fourth cut was upon tho
left ear. The physician thinks he may pos
sibly get well, but it is exceedingly doubt
ful AVhen asked as to why he was shot,
h- hesitated and seemed unwilling to an
swer, but when told that he would most
probably die, and that he ought to make a
statement, he said that Blessiug was quar
reling with his sister and that ho ook her
part and attempted to pacify Blessing. when.
I he latter drew a pistol and shot him and
then cut him.
Mrs. Blessing is a 3rcung wo Jian. twenty
four or twenty-five years of age, an Ameri
can brunette refined and educated. She
bears a very good reputation in tho neigh
borhood, as does also her brother, who was
uotod for being quiet and inoffensive. Bles
sing's last trip was made on the steamer
Ste. Genevieve from which he returned
four week, ayo and it is said that evdr
since then bo hac been drinking and quar
reling with his wife, hist night, however,
he was to all appearances perfectly sober.
Those who live close to him sa3' that he has
beon jealous of his wife for some time. He,
however, as best hs rould. denied that jeal
ousy was the motivo far tho tragedy. He
was known as a man of violent temper, and
it was asserted last night that he had twen
ty year.-, ago shot and killed hissisteratthe
Planters' Houss and then attempted sui
cide. Fatal Ending o a Quarrel.
Salum, Mo.. Sept. 10
This afternoon between the hours of two
and three o'clock, William riims, propri
etor of the Salem Hotel, killed Geo. Tripp,
an iron miner from Simmons.' Mount near
Triplet's Corner, on Fourth street, by cut
ting him with a knife in be regiou of the
heart Tne difficulty commenced by Tripp
accusing Sims of abusing his brother's
children who had been working at the
hotel From one word to another the lie
was given, blows exchanged, and ended by
Sims drawing his knife and stabbing Tripp,
who lived but a short time after being cut.
Mr. Suns was lodged in jail
Deadlv
Assault on a. IeadTille Netrspapei
Man.
Leadvu.lv, Cor. Sept. 16.
A most brutal and possibly fatal assault
was made this morning by Alderman C. C
Joy, of this city, on Edward D. Cowen, city
editor of the Herald. Cowen and Joy were
in the Board ot Trade Salooa drinking and
talking, when a dispute irose, and after
some hot woris Joy struck Cowen and
knocked him down, and then jumped upon
him and kicked and stamped him in a fear
ful manner. No one dared interfere, as Joy
had a revolver at the time He kicked the
prostrate man about the head and face and
breast till he was an unrecognizable mass
of blood and bruises. Joy then fled. Cowen
was carried to his room and medical aid
summoned. His recovery is very doubtful
Two Persons Killed and Eight Serion.il
Injured by a Collision of Passenger Trains
on the L,oag Island Kailroad.
New York, Sept. 11.
A serious accident occurred this evening
on tho Long Island Railroad, near Hunter's
Point Depot, by which two men were killed
and eight injured. The Flushing train
leaving Hunter's" Point, when at Montauk
Junction, about eight miles from the depot,
was run into by a Manhattan Beach train,
due at Hunter's Point at 6:35. The latter
train was several minutes late, and the en
gineer should have stopped east of the
junction until the Flushing train passed,
Ine locomotives came together near the
switch. The Flushing train consisted of
four passenger coaches and a combination
car, each of which was full of passengers.
None of these were injured. The engine
and tender, however, are badly broken up.
The engineer of the Flushing train, Ernest
Cretzner, remained at his post, backing
dqwn his train, and received slight
injuries The Manhattan Beach train
consisted of seven ordinary cars
and one parlor. The latter was next tho
engine. At the time, of the collision this
train was running at the rate of thirty-fivo
miles per hour. The engine was not greatly
damaged, but the parlor car was telescoped
by the car behind. All of the cars were
crowded, with many persons standing on
the platforms. Most of the occupants of
the parlor car were warned by tho "sissing"
of the escaping air from the air-brakes,
and escaped from tho car by the door and
windows. The cur apparently broke in two
about the middle, and tho platform car be
hjgd was crushed through about the same
distance. All the chairs in the back part
of the car were smashed and piled up. Tho
second car and tho floor of the parlor car
were on one side. Under these were Thos.
Birmingham, of East Houston street, and
Kobt. Smith, of IStf South Eighth street. It
was found necessary to cut away tho pan
eling and woodwork with axes to get the
men out. Their legs were so crushed that
amputation was necessary, and they died
very soon after the operation. Their bodies
were then removed to the Long Island dead
house to await tho Inquest of the Coroner.
The injured, so far as ascertained, were:
Thos. Glenn, engineer of the Manhattan
Beach train, cut on the head and shoulders.
M. Morris, of Philadelphia, one leg cut
off.
Geo. "Wright, serious cuts on face and
lip.
Lawrence, New York, cut on head.
Leslie E. Slawson, New York; cut and
bruised about head r.nd body.
"VV. Connor, New York; cut on head and
body.
Vernon Barton, New York; large splinter
in leg.
Bant, Manhattan hay market; cut on
head.
A COWBOY MATINEE.
An Eiglit-Hnnrietl Keel in the Dnrk, In
"Winch Pistols Furnished the Music A.
Crazy Act with a Fearful Termination
Three Killed and Three Fatally Wounded.
Dknvek, Cor.., Sept. 11.
The details of a bloody affra3, which
occurred at McLain Ranch, Elbert County,
Sunday night, in which eight covbojrs en
gaged, have just reached this city. Sunday
was their day off, and all went to Agate
Station, on the Kansas Pacific Road, and
falling in with companions, opened festivi
ties with several drinks. Thence they
rode to a neighboring ranch, where they
obtained a supply of liquor and started for
home. On their way two, named Rositer
and McKeever, engaged in an angry dis
pute about a trivial matter, and all re
paired to the herder's quarters to settle the
difficulty. As soon as the inside was reached
the men clinched and both fell to the ground,
fighting desperately, their comrades urging
them on. Tables and benches were removed
and in a ring improvised, the men beat and
tore at each other with tho ferocity of tigers.
The onlookers in the excitement madly
howled and danced about, brandishing re
volvers, and encouraging their favorites in
the fight. It was a weird and blood
curdling sight. "While the fight was at its
highest, the oil lamp was knocked from its
place, and the room was in darkness. The
men madly ran upon each other, and in a
minute alter the light had been extin
guished tho melee was general. The door
being locked and there being no means 6l
egress, each man was for himself. Amid
the resounding blows ami curses pistol
shots rang out, and tho death-cry of a vic
tim paralyzed whatever of reason was left
in tho part Almost before the cry had left
the lips of the unfortunate man the air was
wild with the fusilade, and lor a moment,
by tho fittul flash the gloom was lifted.
Rositer was dead. The two Joneses weltered
in their blood. Three others were wound
ed, some fatally. Rollins and McKeever
were the only ones not injured. They fled,
and aro not yet apprehended.
TThat Clarence Hite Says About the "Win
ston Kohhery.
A confession made by Clarence Hite
previous to his death, after going at length
over the preliminary arrangements for the
Winston robbery, contains the following:
"We wore at Winston when the train came
along. Jesse was our Captain, and our,
stations were as follows: Frank James,
Jesse James and my brother got on the
smoking-car, and Dick and myself got on
the front platform of the express-car. Tho
understanding was that Dick and myself,
as soon as Jesse and Frank should pull the
bell-ropo, were to climb over tho coal
and pull down on tho engineer and fireman
and make them obey orders. As soon as they
rang the bell, which was before we reached
the bridge, we climbed over the coal
and made them stop the train. The under
standing was that we were to stop the train
anyway before reaching the bridge. Jesse,
Frank and Wood were to go in and rob the
car. At the first stoppage J? rank ran
around to the side, seized the baggageman
by the leg, and pulled him out of the car.
They then commenced firing into the car,
and the expressman opened the door.
They then went in and robbed the car. All
this took about half an hour. "Ye got $12G
and some cents apiece. Jesse said the con
ductor started to draw his pistol and lie
(Jesse) told him if he drew it he would!
kill him. Ho did not desist and was shot.
Jesse did not know the conductor. There is
no truth in the story that Jesse killed him
becauso he supposed he (the conductor)
had carried Pinkerton's detectives out to
his mother's (Mrs. Samuels') house. The
stonemason was shot accidentally. "We
were about a quarter of a mile from the
house after robbing the train. We then
went to our horses. I cut mine loose, leav
ing a part of th-e hitchstrap. We went
across the Hannibal and St. Joseph ROad
between Kidder and Hamilton, beyond
Ninable, to Crooked River; rode all night;
6topped in a little woods after pulling dqwn
a fence and going through a field. I -went
to sleep; so did Frank. This was about
daylight. We stayed about an hour, then
went across fields till we reached Crooked
River (Saturdaj)- Jesse and Frank said
they know the country."
Found Dead.
Caobo, III., Sept. 11.
Mr. A. Boren, a commercial traveler for
the boot and shoe house of Alter, Pinckard
& Co., Cincinnati, was found dead in; his
bed at Bower's European Hotel early this
morning. He retired in good health last
night, with Instructions to be called for the
3 a. m. train on the Illinois Central. Fail
ing to receive a response at train time, Mr.
Bowers broke open the -door to find that
death had entered before him. There was
no evidence of agony, everything showing
that he had not moved during the night. The
jury decided that death was caused bj
apoplexy.
COMPLETED AT LAST.
Formal Completion of tho Northern Pa
cific Hallway The Golden Spike Driven
by President Villard The Klow Heard In
2ew York A. Noted Assemblage Present.
Helesa, M. T., Sept 10.
The Villard excursionists left here short y
after seven o'clock Saturday morning and'
Teached the scene of the ceremonies of ths
day, a point a few miles west of the Mullan
Tunnel, on the western slope of the ma n
divide of the Rocky Mountains, at 9:3f0 a.
m. At 5:15 p. m., after a short prayer, tha
last rail of the Northern Pacific Railroad
was laid and the last spike a golden one -
was driven home by Mr. Villard with a
silver sledge-hammer, making the iron high
way complete and ready for travel from
Duluth to Tacoma, a distance of a little
more than 1,9S0 miles. There are also 674
miles of branches, mostly completed, giving
a grand total of more than 2,654 miles of
road.
"William M. Evarts delivered the address
of the occasion, in which he gave a history
of the road, which he said was a dream of
1835, when a merchant of New York City,
Asa Whitney, made a proposition to Con
gress to build a road from the great lakes to
the mouth of the Columbia Kiver, in con
sideration of a land grant of sixty miles in
width along the entire route, but whose plan
failed to win Congressional favor. A charter
for the road was again sought in 186-2,
but the effort resulted in a failure.
.Josiah Perhain, a New England mer
chant, secured a charter in 1SG4, but failed
to obtain capital to build the road, in a great
measure because of a clause inserted in tha
charter by himself forbidding the company
to mortgage the road or lands, or to issue
bonds. In December, ISO.", Perhain sold
the charter to some Saw England capital-,
jists for barely enough to pay Ills debt,", and
idied three years later, before the first spade
ful of earth had been turned on the pro
posed road, lhe President of the
company was e:;-Go enior Smith, of
niont. 2o progress toward actual
struction was made, however,
Jay Cooke assumed financial
new
Ver-
con-
until
di-
lection. Mr. Evarts then reviewed
;the financial ups and downs of the company
when work on the road was begun ar.
Thompson's Junction, twenty-three miles
west of Duluth, to 1SS1. when Mr. Villard
obtained control, closing with a peroration
strongly eulogistic ot the ability, zeal and
energy of Mr. Villard, and the officials who
have co-operated with him in bringing the
road to a successful completion. Speeches
were made by several other prominent gen
tlemen. At the close of the ceremonies a number
of the guess leturned eastward, while oth
ers went over the road to Puget Sound, and
will return home toward the close of the
month.
St. Paul, Minn., Sept. 10.
The electric flash which passed over tho
telegraph wire, announcing the driving of
the last spike on the Northern Pacific, passed
through this city at 6:15 o'clock Saturday
night, and was celebrated by the firing of a
salute and the ringing of all the fire bells in
this city.
Npw York. Sept. 10.
The last rail laid Saturday on the North
ern Pacific Railroad was attached to a
Western Union wire running into the branch
office at 8 Broad street, and while President
Villard was driving the golden spike, tho
blows of his silver sledge hammer were re
peated in this city on the telegraph instru
ment. General officers of the road gathered
around the instrument " listening to tha
strokes that told of the completion of a
great national highway.
Y0TED A NUISANCE.
Ciiicaro, Sept. 10.
The banks, National and private, compos
ing the Chicago Clearing House Association,
have nearly all signed an agreement not to
'receive any more of the new post notes or or
ders on deposit, aiul those who have not
'signed will probably do so as soon as the doc
ument is presented to them.
A reporter visited several banking-house.?
with a view to ascertaining the cause of
this action. Vice-President Gage, of tha
First National, said the banks objected
mainly to receiving the postal orders on de
posit because of the extra labor, anuoyanco
and trouble they caused. An oflicer of the
bank, not nn employe, is required to in
dorse them; then they have to be care
fully examined to ascertain if the amount
is properly punched on the margin, and
,care must be taken to see that
.they have not expired, as the limita
'tion of them is three months. Mr. Gage
thought It was better for the receiver of
the postal notes to obtain the money at the
post-olllee, if drawn on Chicago, and de
posit the cash, thus saving the bank the ex
tra labor which depositing them required.
A postal order for seventeen cents was
shown the reporter. It was drawn at
Parker, D. T., on the Chicago post-office,
and required the signature of one of the
bank's officers before it could be cashed at
the postroflice. Other bankers expressed
similar views, and so far as the receiving ot
the postal notes at the Chicago banks is con
cerned, the official edict has gone forth that
they must go. It is believed here by tha
bankers that similar action will be taken by
the banks of other cities.
That the new notes will be used to a very
large extent, despite this action, there is no
doubt, for they fill a long-felt public want.
It lias been practically impossible to semi
money by mail in sums less than one dollar
or fractions of a dollar, because nothing but
silver coin is in circulation. Merchants, es
pecially those engaged in a small way, or
relying on country orders, will no doubt find
them very handy, and will be willing, for
the help they will be to their business, to go
to a little pains to have them cashed, if no
where else than at the iost-ofIice.
-
Destructive Floods on the Rio Grande.
Galvestox, Tex., Sept. 10.
The recent floods in the Rio Grande valley
swept away eleven bridges and culverts on
the Texas Pacific Railroad, and caused in
calculable losses to stock and other prop
erty. On the Texas & Mexico Road bridges
were washed away and much damage done to
embankments. The loss on the International
Railroad was also great, but some of the
damage has been repaired. Out of one flock
of 12,000 sheep 1,100 were diowned. Tha
powder-house of the Mexican National Road
Construction Company was exploded by
lightning. Eight telegraph poles were struck,
and a shepherd was found dead, havi
been killed bya thunderbolt It Is feared
that several persons have been drowned.
The river has .fallen a few feet, but the pros
pects are that the rise is not over yet
Jewelry Robbery.
Meridek, Conn., Sept. 10. .
Burglars entered the large jewelry store,
of M. Mather Sunday morning and opened
the safe by cutting the doors to pieces with
costly tools, which they left behind. Theji
secured about one hundred gold and silvei
watches and seal rings, valued at oven
S4.000. Part of the same store is occupied
by H. Brooks & Co., stationers, and their
safe was forced open and about $300 in cash
taken.
FALL
"WTOXTT
GOODS!
v e have just
BO-OOO
OBTH OF FALL AND WINTER GOODS.
Bought direct from the manufacturers and importers in Chicago, Sew York
and Boston, under the niost favorable circumstances, and we are perfectlj
safe in saying to the citizens of Dickinson and adjoining counties that we
have the largest slock of general merchandise ever brought into Dickinson
County, and we simply invite you to come and see for yourselves the truth
of our statement.
VE CARRY A COMPLETE LINE OF
DRY GOOD!
CLOTHING,
HATS AND CAPS,
GROCERIES,
STOVES AND TINWARE.
ALSO A FULL
FARMING IMPLEMENTS.
We are Agents for the Mollne, Weir and Hapgood Plows and Sulkies !
the J. I. Case Agitator, which is the best threshing machine in use. In
Wind Mills we offer you the Baker, the Iron Monitor and the Challenge,
which are beyond all doubt the best makes in the. market
Thanking the public for past favors, we hope, by square dealing and
close attention to business, to merit a continuance of the same.
Respectfully,
BERRY
AND
IE
R
received about
BOOTS AND SHOES,
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QUEENSWARE,
HARDWARE,
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